Power windows are often used in automotive vehicles. A power window as used herein means a window assembly in a door of an automotive vehicle where the window glass is moved up and down by a power window regulator assembly. A window regulator in a window assembly in a door of an automotive vehicle is a mechanism that moves the window up and down. In a power window, the window regulator is driven by an electrical actuator that drives the mechanism to move the window up and down. The electrical actuator is actuated by switch. The typical switch is a three position, return to center mechanically actuated momentary switch with the center position being one of the three positions. A switch actuator moved by a user closes first and second contacts of the switch that connects electrical power to the electrical actuator to cause the electrical actuator to move the window up or down. For example, when the electrical actuator includes and electrical motor, the first and second contacts of the switch connect the electrical power to the motor in a polarity to cause the motor to rotate in one direction to move the window up and connects the electrical power to the motor in an opposed polarity to cause the motor to rotate in the opposite direction to move the window down.
Another type of switch often used in consumer devices is a capacitive switch. A capacitive switch responds to a change in capacitance caused by a user touching the switch such as with a finger which results in a change in a signal level output by the capacitive switch. This change in signal level is, for example, sensed by controller to which the capacitive switch is coupled. The controller then takes the appropriate action.
In using a capacitive switch to control the actuation of power windows in automotive vehicles it would be desirable to prevent inadvertent activation of the switch such as might be caused by an occupant of the vehicle inadvertently touching the capacitive switch, such as by resting a hand on the capacitive switch. It would also be desirable to have an arrangement of capacitive switches having a single switch actuator that is used to select up and down movement for each of the power windows in the vehicle.